Located at 900’ elevation overlooking nearby Bennett Valley, on the northwestern flank of Sonoma Mountain, Silver Pines vineyard is well situated to yield pinot noir clone 115 of uncommon complexity. Planted in 2000 by owners Norm and Carole Silverman, the vineyard has a cooler microclimate dominated by infusions of morning fog, followed by warm afternoons tempered with brisk afternoon breezes as the fog courses back in through the Petaluma Gap by nightfall.
The Pedroncelli tasting room seems to be filled with history. The same family is still running it and everyone has a role in the business. The wines are great. They make a lovely Rose, some well-balanced cabs and a port that is delicious; just to name a few. Not sure how they do it, but the prices are extremely affordable. The staff is wonderful, probably since they are all related and are well vested into making it a great experience.
The wines are great. They make a lovely Rose, some well balanced cabs and a port that is delicious; just to name a few. Not sure how they do it, but the prices are extremely affordable. The staff is wonderful, probably since they are all related and are well vested into making it a great experience.
The grounds are beautiful and built to resemble a Tuscan villa and I must say that if you close your eyes while you're out on the patio sipping their Cabernet Sauvignon, you feel like you're miles away from civilization. Greg, the owner was extremely nice and told us that the winery is 100% solar powered and only about 2 yrs old, yet the '07 Cab was drinking deliciously and the '06 Port is worth a return trip by itself!
Zach was awesome. He didn't just show us what was on the tasting menu. He first asked what wines we generally enjoyed, and then threw out a tasting catered to our preferences. We were also able to enjoy some of the wine makers' favorites imported from Italy. Honestly I don't think I enjoyed their wines enough to be a wine club member. But I would most definitely go back.
Pondering Freestone's tasting room, we weren't completely sold on the idea of spending $10 on a few sips of wine, but we decided to at least scope it out. It was surprisingly quiet on a Saturday afternoon, and the tasting room staff seemed excited to have a group of 6 appear. They offered us a private tasting room where we could all sit comfortably, and even offered us plates and knives to dig into our Wild Flour spoils while we tasted. Um yeah...we like this place already. With Freestone Vineyards and Wild Flour as next door neighbors, you've got the perfect one-stop-shop for a sampling of Sonoma County's bounty. Make the most of it: get some Fougasse, and trot over to Freestone for the perfect pairing.
The wines here were very good really enjoyed them. They charge a $5 tasting fee, which is definitely worth it to try some of their nice blends as well as the Zin, Cab, and Petite Sirah. Nice winery with a great personality. The barrel tasting experience is great. The lobster bisque was very good. The wine selection made it all worth the trip and the picnic area really took things to a new place.
The staff can be kind of hit or miss. Usually they are a little stand-offish or at least less eager to talk, but they don't try to over sell you on buying their wine they let you enjoy the experience. The tasting room isn't spectacular (actually I liked the smaller tasting room they had before) but they do have a large selection of gifts other than wine.
The Greens have been into paint horses for nearly three decades and the winery is their homage to these wonderful and truly beautiful animals. According to Bruce Green, the couple rides their horses on every occasion, both in western pleasure and also trail riding. Paint Horse Winery became a reality in 1997, when the Greens first purchased the property. Some vineyards were already planted, but needed a great deal of work. The Greens improved the existing vineyards and planted two more acres, mostly to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Talty Winery and Vineyard are nestled in Sonoma County's glorious Dry Creek Valley. This "little slice of heaven" is six acres of forty-eight-year-old Zinfandel Vines, dry-farmed and head-pruned to produce the most intense tasting fruit and concentrated flavors.
The people in the tasting room were all very pleasant and cheerful - and really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. VERY nice and welcoming atmosphere. Wines were GREAT!
